Van Rental Services Vary Greatly from Company to Company

If you find yourself in need of renting a van, take some time to research the services that are available in your area. Choosing the right company to meet your needs will depend largely on whether the hire is long term or short term and whether it’s for personal or business use.

Some companies require a deposit, which can vary tremendously based on the vehicle and length of the rental. Other companies do not require a deposit.

Purpose

Some companies primarily rent vans and cater more to businesses, they even offer special rates to non-profit groups, charities, and commercial customers. These vans can be rented for moving house, transporting furniture, making deliveries, and more. In some cases, these rental companies will provide “man with a van” service, in which an employee, or possibly a team of employees, accompanies the van and helps the customer with the transport.

Other companies rent both cars and vans to individual drivers and do not permit them to use their vans in for hire situations. In general, they do not have as much of a selection of larger vans.

Fuel

Customers should read the terms of use carefully. Some van hires rent their vans with a full tank of fuel and expect the tank to be full when returned. If not, the customers pays an additional charge to cover the additional fuel.

Other rental companies begin with the tank empty, in which case the customer is not expected to fill the tank prior to returning the vehicle. It is expected, however, that the fuel will be at or above the level it was at the time of rental, or again the customer will pay an additional fee to cover the deficit.

Length of Hire

Company policies also vary in regard to the length of rental. One company, for example, might set a maximum limit of 100 miles per day, while the next company might rent vehicles from just a few hours to a month or more with the maximum number of miles specified per month.

There are also, of course, similarities among van rental services. All of them require a valid driver’s license or international driving permit, as well as a minimum age for each driver. Most services require that the driver be insured. Many provide breakdown service, although customers should read the terms for this service, which vary somewhat from company to company. The majority of companies offer booking online or by phone. Overall, customers need to consider their specific needs when choosing a van rental company.